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I am Anne. I live in Bristol with my husband Bill our grown up daughter Angela and two cats Heidi and Tilly. We also have four sons two daughter in laws and two grand children. I started this website to give more information for visitors to the South West of England and South Wales. I already run a blog which has become quite popular. The Platinum Line

This is my first flower of the day post for May so what could be more suitable than May blossom. In late April and early May hedgerows and fields in England are filled with the delicate white flowers of hawthorn. The hawthorn (crataegus) is a native tree associated with celtic folklore and especially with May day and the start of summer. Continue reading “Hawthorn and the story of the May wishing tree #ffotd#ff17”

Aquilegia which has the lovely folk name of grandma’s bonnet is a flower I associate with the cottage gardens of my childhood. I am sure I did not plant them but one Spring much to my suprise my borders were covered with the delicate nodding flowers. I received a lot of undeserved compliments from neighbours. Continue reading “Grandma’s bonnets or aquilegia #FOTD#FF16”

This month my garden is covered in bluebells or wild hyacinths. They fill every spare space and their spreading foliage stops other flowers growing. However I do love the delicate bell shape flowers which carpet the edge of my lawn. Purists would object that they are the Spanish variety of bluebell rather than the more delicate British bluebell which has a thinner arching stem and a stronger perfume.

I have chosen another bright yellow spring time flower for Cee’s flower of the day photo challenge. Cowslips (primula veris) are a relative of the primrose with a similar dark green wrinkled leaf but the small bell shaped flowers grow from a single stalk. In the past the flowers were used to add colour and flavour to wine. Continue reading “Cowslip #FOTD”

I have chosen gorse as my flower of the day after reading that children used to use the flowers to make a dye to decorate Easter eggs in the past. In England scrub land is alive with the bright yellow gorse flowers. It is an evergreen shrub and the sharp needle like leaves make it difficult for animals to eat.

I spotted this bush on my morning walk along the Bristol to Bath cycle path this week

Here it is going to be a very strange Easter with the churches shut and friends and family unable to visit.

Oh, to be in England
Now that April’s there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England – now!
And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops – at the bent
spray’s edge –
That’s the wise thrush; he sings each song
twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children’s dower
– Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!

This poem is called Home thoughts from abroad and was written by Robert Browning a Victorian poet who spent much of his life in Italy. At present we are unable to leave the house except for short walks near home and I feel a bit as he must have felt when I think of the beautiful spring countryside all around. Unfortunately the thrush who sings each song twice over is quite rare but we do have blackbirds, robins,finches and rooks come to share our garden and I took this photo of red tulips on my walk this morning. The other photo was taken in April last year on Clevedon seafront.

If you need cheering up can I recommend this family’s version of “One day more” from Les Mis It is true that getting an online Tesco delivery slot has suddenly become the most important activity of the day.

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About the author

I am Anne a retired nurse from Fishponds, Bristol. I am married with five children, two grandchildren and two cats. I love exploring my local area and hope to share some of my favourite places with you.